Free Agency 2013

Assuming that the Bargnani trade goes through, the stretch provision is used on fields, camby is waived, richardson is waived and kleiza is amnestied, this is what our depth chart looks like (assuming no more trades):

We need to add some pieces at the very minimum just to fill our roster. We have a glaring hole at PG, but could use some more depth at the PF and SF positions as well. We don't have much cap space but we do have almost all of our exceptions at our disposal. Below is a list of potential free agents that seemed interesting to me by position, that could be had for 5 million or less.

We can make all of these moves without committing ourselves too much financially and hampering our long term flexibility. But it doesn't look to be too bad of a line up. We had some toughness with Maxiel, Barnes, and Collins. We add three point shooting with (acquisition of Novak) Watson, Barbosa, and Barnes.

I think this gives our team more defense, and three point shooting. Also we have some youth in the lineup with derozan, valanciunas, ross, kabongo, and acy.

Again this can all be done very conservatively, assuming that the raptors are long term focused on winning a championship and don't intend on making any splashes in free agency this year.

Any suggestions/Comments?

P.S if Camby refuses to play for us I may have to change my avatar pic. Please play for us Camby cause I am too lazy to do that.

Tyreke Evans isn't going to sign anywhere that isn't going to pay him a stupid amount of money, and it looks like New Orleans is willing to pay Tyreke a stupid amount of money, so I think it is very unlikely we get Tyreke Evans.

Lol exactly, we all know Evans isn't bout that "6th man" life. I'd like him as our starting PG though. We'd have a really big starting line up, and I don't think his historically great rookie season was just a fluke.

Wow, Pelicans offered 40+mln/4yr deal to Evans! People say that G. Vasquez is on trading block and that offer to Evans confirms that, maybe we should go after him? I guess he's still on his rookie deal - that's exactly what the Raptors need

Gives the Raps flexibility as Beldsoe can play 1 or 2, Q Rich can play 2 or 3, and Acy and Novak can play 3 and 4

Then next year let Lowry walk - or trade at deadline and Bledsoe moves to starting PG

Honestly I dont see the point of bringing in Bledsoe if our intention is to make him Lowry's back up, he wants to be re-upped and will be asking for big money. If we are trading for him it has to be with the understanding that we are also shopping lowry, if that is the case this is what I would do:

Trade Lowry to Orlando for Afflalo.

Trade DD to clippers for Bledsoe.

Our starting line up would look like this, and we would need to fill in our depth chart from free agency but many of the guys that I suggested on the opening post could fill that role.

PG: Bledsoe (Potentially more upside than lowry, and no chemistry issues with coach)
SG: Afflalo (Better defender, and 3 pt shooter than DD, better fit for our team if we intend to stick with Gay)
SF: Gay
PF: Johnson
C: Valanciunas

This lineup can spread the floor (Gay, Afflalo, and Bledsoe have shown over the years they can drain the 3) and is a better lineup defensively with the addition of Afflalo.

I haven't seen Vasquez play, but I had him on my fantasy league and the guy lit up the stat sheet...why are the Pelicans so eager to have got rid of him? His assist numbers were better than Hollidays, granted that doesn't always mean much. But the fact that the Pelicans throw out these lofty contracts is bonkers, Eric Gordon could really end up being their Bargnani.

Honestly I dont see the point of bringing in Bledsoe if our intention is to make him Lowry's back up, he wants to be re-upped and will be asking for big money. If we are trading for him it has to be with the understanding that we are also shopping lowry, if that is the case this is what I would do:

Trade Lowry to Orlando for Afflalo.

Trade DD to clippers for Bledsoe.

Our starting line up would look like this, and we would need to fill in our depth chart from free agency but many of the guys that I suggested on the opening post could fill that role.

PG: Bledsoe (Potentially more upside than lowry, and no chemistry issues with coach)
SG: Afflalo (Better defender, and 3 pt shooter than DD, better fit for our team if we intend to stick with Gay)
SF: Gay
PF: Johnson
C: Valanciunas

This lineup can spread the floor (Gay, Afflalo, and Bledsoe have shown over the years they can drain the 3) and is a better lineup defensively with the addition of Afflalo.